Employees at the new Flower Mound hospital will wear a lot of red this month, but it’s not just about Valentine’s Day. They are ‘going red” to encourage heart health for women.
Many people don’t realize that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and that fact will be spotlighted all month as February is American Heart Month and Feb. 18th is National Women’s Heart Day.
One way the local hospital will promote better health is a Women’s Heart Smart Saturday slated for Feb. 19th from 9 a.m. to noon at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound, 4400 Long Prairie Road.
Those attending the event will be able to get a $10 cholesterol screening and a free body mass index calculation as well as blood pressure and heart rate screenings. There will be healthy cooking demonstrations at 9:15 a.m. and 10 a.m., and a dietitian will be on hand for questions from 9 a.m. until noon. At 10:30, attendees can hear local guest speaker David Haynie, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C.
Dr. Haynie, a cardiologist with Cardiovascular Specialists, P.A. in Flower Mound and Lewisville, said the incidence of heart disease in women is significant. “We all seem to think that women have less heart disease than men, and while that might be true in their thirties and forties, they rapidly catch up in their fifties and sixties,” he pointed out.
The doctor said that he plans to talk about what women should know about their hearts, including the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, and he also plans to discuss another component of heart health – physical activity.
“That’s one thing everyone can do to improve their chances of having a healthy heart. You don’t have to be an aerobics instructor, but we should all be doing something we enjoy.”
Another thing Haynie said he wants to draw attention to is getting regular check-ups. “It’s worth your time, your effort and your money to have regular physicals and to preserve good health,” he said. There will be time for questions and answers after his talk.
The Go Red For Women initiative encourages awareness of the issue of women and heart disease and also action to save more lives. The movement harnesses the energy, passion and power women have to band together and collectively wipe out heart disease. It challenges them to know their risk for heart disease and take action to reduce their personal risk. It also gives them the tools they need to lead a heart healthy life.
By “going red” for women’s heart health, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound demonstrates just one of the many reasons their motto is “Healing Hands, Caring Hearts.” For more information on the February 19th event, visit www.TexasHealthFlowerMound.com or call 469-322-7000.
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